Nationally, the use of Class A drugs is now at the highest level since 1996. Last year, there were 453 recorded drug offences in the Wallasey constituency. That was 119 more incidents than the year before.
All this makes for depressing reading and, with the Government’s confused messages on drugs such as cannabis, I was keen to find out what is happening ‘on the ground’. Government targets are one thing; reality, as we know with Labour, is often quite another.
Merseyside Police has been running ‘Operation Hawk’ to tackle the rise in drugs; more than 500 people have been arrested, 600 warrants executed and around £7 million of drugs seized.
And, last month, I attended a raid by Merseyside Police on a pub in Wallasey. Along with 70 police officers and sniffer dogs, I saw how drugs are widespread, often among people who have no outward signs of addiction (yet), and who see drugs as an essential part of a good night out.
As well as several arrests and drug seizures, the Council’s licensing staff were also present to enforce breaches of the license.
But it’s not enough just to tackle the supply, we also need to stem the demand for drugs. That’s why I have also visited two local organisations that deal with the consequences of addiction.
‘Churches Against Solvent Misuse’ is based in the heart of the constituency. CASM visits schools and youth groups and, over the course of a year, come into contact with around 12,000 young people. This is a brilliant local organisation that is well beneath the radar of the ‘state’ but deals with the consequences of poor Government policy. The organisation lives on a shoe string and relies on fundraising locally, including, most recently, a very enjoyable strawberry tea!
My other visit was to ARCH Initiatives, a registered charity that provides a range of services across Merseyside, Halton, Warrington and Cheshire for people affected by drugs and alcohol. They provide services that are designed to improve the quality of life for those who are affected by all types of substance misuse. The services provided by ARCH range from open access services that serve as a first point of contact for those seeking assistance with addiction problems, through structured day care, counselling, family services, criminal justice services, training schemes and aftercare. The agency has a 14-bedded Residential Treatment Centre based in Birkenhead that offers detoxification or stabilisation for both drugs and alcohol.
Comment by Ross Warren on August 27, 2009 at 10:44 pm
“I saw how drugs are widespread, often among people who have no outward signs of addiction (yet), and who see drugs as an essential part of a good night out. ”
I find this article rather confused, but then the whole addiction debate is confusing.
You seem not to draw any distinction between night club drugs and hard drugs. This is why many of these young people do not look like the archetypal addict. The simple truth is that those who use E’s, Speed etc, usually do not use Heroin, the cross over drug in those cases that do is most likely Cocaine. Labours approach to cannabis was extremely dishonest, as far as I can work it out they fell into the trap of appeasing the Mail. In any case they were unwilling to listen to the experts, which is a mistake I hope we are not going to repeat. What we need is an open and honest debate about all drugs including alcohol and nicotine, which is something we are not getting at the moment. In my opinion prohibition has been a disaster, mainly because the criminal gangs are far better at exploiting drug users than the pharmacists had been in the pre-prohibition ages. It doesn’t help that you personally do not understand the difference between truly addictive drugs i.e. Heroin and other substances that are not addictive in the clinical sense, solvents as an example. Without wanting to put you down as you are clearly out of your depth, we need people who have made more than a slight study of the subject to make sensible suggestions rather than knee jerk journalism that would be at home in the Mail. It is my opinion that we may need to move a whole generation of addicts onto methadone if we hope to reduce the market for illegal drugs in this nation. This will require an ongoing commitment to treatment rather than foolish talk about drug free living, for a group that we have already failed once. As it is our drug laws are not fit for purpose and require serious reform. Yes I do believe in harm reduction simply because I have seen so many people die from black market drugs.
Comment by gary on January 12, 2010 at 8:01 am
i have to agree with ross, somthing needs to be done about the drug laws in this country prohibition doesnt work, an as for not listning to the experts well thats just foolish!
Comment by Dave on February 6, 2010 at 11:21 pm
Sorry but I’m with Gary and Ross on this one – I don’t get what point you are trying to get across here?
This seems a rather naive and ill informed comment.
I quote from the Guardian on this:
Class A illicit drug use is increasing among 16- to 24-year-olds, with more than half a million young people taking cocaine and ecstasy in the last year, according to Home Office figures published today.
But the latest findings from the British Crime Survey confirm that the longterm gradual decline in cannabis use among young people has continued.
They also show that the profile of the most likely frequent illicit drug user is white, young, male, single, a regular clubber and likely to be seen in the pub. The Home Office researchers say that marital status is the strongest factor associated with predicting illicit drug use, that is, if a man gets married he is more likely to give up drugs.
Do you seriously think that this demographic really needs help for drug addiction when in the real world the vast majority of users simply give up when they grow up? (Once they get married as the survey points out)
Comment by Robin Woznicki on November 25, 2010 at 3:45 pm
As a rehab manager i am interested in all aspects of addiction and recovery and think attacking supply and demand is the right approach.I am very keen for prisoners with addiction problems to be referred to residential rehab.I believe this is a win win situation in terms of the individual,society and cost.My concern is that this is not happening yet.